Constance is a young French woman dissatisfied with her mundane life but has a talent for reading stories to others.

As she reads to her clients, all of whom are seeking a little more than the solace of literature, she works a fantastical transformation on them.

Her clients include the widow of a Marxist general (María Casares), a nervous businessman (Patrick Chesnais), a retired magistrate, and a handicapped teenage boy.

The general's widow's maidservant and the boy's friends from school become affected by the readings, and Constance has an affair with the businessman.

The music titles are uncredited, but the following musicians are credited: Jean-François Heisser (piano), Elisabeth Balmas (violin), Roland Pidoux (cello), Bruno Pasquier (viola), Michel Moraguès (flute) and Jacques Di Donato (clarinet).